Regret
by UnbrokenSilences
Summary: Fang and Max get into an argument, and Fang leaves. Four years after he left, the flock begins urgently trying to reach him again. What happened? How does Fang react to it? One-shot. Rated T for language. Really sad with a happy ending! R&R.


**Another one of my depressing Fax one-shots. The ending is happy though. R&R!**

**Rated T for language *clucks tongue disapprovingly*. **

"God _damn_ it, Max!"

Fang's eyes were full of hatred. His fists were clenched, a vein popped in his neck.

"You—are—so—fucking—_selfish_! Can't you ever think for the _flock_, not for _yourself_?" He whirled around to face me again, pacing agitatedly around.

"I'm thinking to save the whole fucking _world_, Fang. If there is no world, how the hell will the flock survive?" I spat back.

His eyes narrowed. "I've heard the entire world nonsense. You don't _have_ to! Why can't you just consider letting the world fight amongst itself? Why can't you think that _we_ don't _owe_ the world _anything_!"

I laughed in disbelief. "We don't _owe_ the world anything? Fang, if everybody just did things because they _owed_ each other things, we wouldn't get anywhere!"

"So what?" he fired back. "We're not most people."

"Uh, duh?" I sarcastically said. "You don't _get_ it. The flock _wants_ to help me save the world. Everybody but _you_."

"So be it!" Fang marched up to me, towering above me. "If you don't want me, I'll go."

"Then _go_!" I screamed at him. "We'll see how you like your _death_ when the apocalypse comes! Then I don't think tropical islands with coconuts will really _save you_!"

Fang glared at me one moment longer, and then punched the nearest window. It shattered, and he said in a dark, angry voice, "Then good-bye, Maximum. Have fun saving the world." He then flew out the window, unfurling his wings.

Breathing heavily, I remained in the position I was in until I realized what I had done.

I sank down to my knees and cried.

* * *

_Four years later; Fang's POV_

My cell phone rang. I picked it up, eying the caller ID that said: NUDGE. She, Iggy, and Angel had been calling _a lot _the past few days. How the hell did they even get my phone number? _Probably from my _blog, I thought.

Sighing, I was about to press the 'ignore' button when her voice came through. "Fang," she said, her voice full of anguish. "I know you want to forget about us, but I thought you'd want to know that..." Her voice trailed off and got sadder. "Max is dead."

She hung up, as I sat there, startled. Max was..._dead_? Not the undefeatable, tough, hard-as-rock Max? I tried to push those thoughts aside. _You hate her and the flock, remember?_

But then my fingers accidentally pressed a button on my phone and the automated voice message inbox came in. "_You have three new messages..._"

In spite of myself, I listened.

The first one was from Nudge. "Fang, are you there? Fang? Fang?" _Pointless_, I thought, and pressed 'delete'.

The next one was from Iggy, and I felt a pang of pain in my chest. He had been like a brother to me. "Fang, dude, seriously, listen. I know you hate us and all the crap, but Max is..." his voice broke. "She's dying. She's breaking from within!" His voice became agitated. "Are you listening to me, man? Ever since you..._left us_," he spat, "She spent two years saving the world, and that kept her from emotionally breaking down. But then, she did, and...it was like, 'now what?' Nothing could prevent her from thinking of you, and she got sicker and sicker in the last year. And...then she really snapped. When she read your blog one day. You _know_, the one where you said how you regretted everything you'd ever done to make her think you loved her? Yeah, you know the one. So...well, she wants a final word with you. Bye."

I felt my eyes moisten. Angel's now came on. "Fang? Max wants to talk with you...and since you're not picking up, well, if you ever go through your messages, here..." I heard some fumbling noises and a cough. "Fang." Max's voice was on. I was alarmed at how weak her voice was. "If you're listening to this...I forgive you. And I'm sorry. So, so, sorry. And I want you to know, that wherever you are, whatever you do, whoever you meet...I love you. Always have. Always will. And when I die...I'll wait for you. Wherever I go. Because I can't stand not having you by my side. Always." She began to cry, and I heard Angel murmuring something. Max then hiccupped, "I miss you, Fang. I love you. Take care."

There was a beep, and the operator said, "_You have no new messages. End of messages._"

I was crying. Tears flowing down my cheeks, an ache in my chest, all the feelings I'd kept well-hidden for four years coming out.

And no Max there to comfort me.

* * *

I somehow knew where the flock was, and I flew to them as fast as I could. I saw them outside, and I swooped down, windswept.

"Fang!" Angel and Nudge crushed me with hugs while Iggy and Gazzy hung back, eyes on the ground. I weakly patted them on the back.

"I missed you," I said, my voice muffled.

"We missed you too," Angel sweetly replied.

I then saw the body, and my heart froze. Angel and Nudge seemed to sense the change in my emotion because they let go immediately.

I walked to her slowly, my eyes not comprehending the scene in front of me.

Max lay sprawled there, her eyes closed, pain, regret, and sadness etched into her still-young face. Her chestnut-brown hair fanned out around her, her skin white and pale, her lips open slightly.

I knelt down gently besides her body. "Max..."

She was so still. So tender. So vulnerable. So unlike the Max I had known four years ago.

"Max," I whispered again. "I don't know if you can hear me. But I want you to know that...I'm sorry, too. So, so, sorry."

Sobs were racking my body now. "I...never meant to hurt you so...badly," I said. "But...didn't really work, huh?"

I let out a sort of derisive snort at myself. I bent down so my mouth was at her ear. "I love you," I murmured. "Wait for me. Please."

And then I stepped away.

* * *

_Four years later; Fang's POV_

The last thing I remember seeing is the night-time sky, filled with twinkling stars and a fat, golden moon. _Max is up there. Somewhere._

Then all went dark.

* * *

"Took you long enough," Max grinned at me, her hand in mine. We were flying, and I felt great.

"You waited for me," I said. "Thanks."

"How could I not?" She whispered, her brown eyes glittering in the afternoon sun, and leaned in, and I tasted her lips again for the first time in eight years.

But this time, no one would be leaving. We would be together.

_Forever_.

**How'd you like it? I seem to be really into sad one-shots, aren't I? I made it kinda happy at the end—R&R, my faithful readers!**


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